Louver assembly



Aug. 2, 1960 N. R. SCHWARTZ LOUVER ASSEMBLY Filed July 16, 19572,947,855 LOUVER ASSEMBLY Nathan R. Schwartz, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignorto Naras Research Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York 7 pFiled July '16, 1 957, SenNo. 672,154

6 Claims. (Cl. 240-4639) This invention relates to a louver assembly,and more particularly to a louver assembly for the elimination of glarefrom lighting fixtures. The assembly herein contemplated comprises aplurality of straight louver strips assembledin an intersecting right.angle relationship within a round housing. Retaining means areincludedto secure the louver assembly to a round canopy housing for the lightsource and clip means are .also provided to secure a lens in place. Thelouver assembly is so constructed that all the parts thereof arepositioned and maintained in place without the use of welds or fasteningmeans such as screws or rivets.

.Prior art louver arrangements for eliminating the glare emanating froma light source, especially an incandescent light source, disposed in around housing generally comprise a plurality of louver rings arrangedconcentric-ally with the open end of the light housing. The louver ringsare maintained in spaced relationship'by cross members which are weldedto the rings by means of two strip members which intersect at the centerof the rings and are notched to receive the louver rings. With thisarrangement only a small-portion ofthe assembly provides reasonableglare elimination, i.e. toward thev outside of the assembly the glareelimination properties decrease in that the spacing between the crossmembers is so arranged that a line connecting the bottom of one louvermember States Patent Ofihce and the top of an adjacent louver memberwould be at an angle greater than with-respect to the axis of'thehousing, therebymaking the viewers ,eye subject to the direct glare ofthe lighting source.

At the center of the assembly, the cross members and the louver ringsare:so closely spaced thatnotonly is the glare eliminated but a gooddeal of the'illumination is also blocked out.

In the instant invention, a plurality of louver strips having slots cuttherein are assembled in interlocking re- 7 lationship'to form a latticework. The louver strips are retained in a ring like housing with theends of the housing being inwardly bent to overlap the edges of thelouver strips. With this arrangement glare'elimination is substantiallyequal for all areas of the louver assembly. The assembly is adapted tobe mounted in a round canopy or a housing having a round opening inwhich the light source :is housed andis secured thereto by-a retainingmeans comprising a plurality of depressible buttons having individualbiasing means associated therewith so that the buttons, while beingpositioned within the ring like housing, partially 'projectthroughcircular openings .cut inthe housing. The biasing means. is aleaf springhaving hooked ends bent over at right angles to the center portion andnesting in notches cut in theends of two parallel louver stripsand-abutting the inside of. the ring likehousing. I

Clip means. are provided to secure a lens, usually colored andslit, totheassembly. The clip means ispositioned in a recess formed between twointersectingzlouver stripsand the inside ofthe ring likefhousing..Outwardly Patented Aug. -2, 1960 projecting bosses are formed in thering like housing in the portions thereof which form the recesses. Whilethe formation of the. boss will result in an opening being formed in thering like housing, light spill is eliminated in that the boss ispositioned near the point of intersection of two louver strips. Thebosses limit the inward travel of the louver assembly with respect tothe canopy while the retaining means prevents the louver assembly fromvibrating out of position.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide alouver assembly for use with a round canopy housing a light source,wherein glare elimination is substantially uniform throughout the entirearea of the assembly.

Another object is to provide a ring like housing for retaining aplurality of louver strips assembled in intersecting relationship toform a substantially square lattice work.

Still another object is to provide a louver assembly including retainingmeans and clip means wherein all the members are interlocked to form amechanically stable unit thereby eliminating the necessity for welds andfastening means such as rivets or screws.

A further object is to provide a louver assembly having means for thepositioning of the assembly with respect to the light source housing,with the means being positioned-so that light spill will be eliminated.

These and many other objects of the present invention will become moreapparent after reading the following description of the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the louver'assembly comprising theinstant invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the louver assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is'a bottom view of the louver assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken through lines 4-4 of Figure -1 andlooking in the direction of the arrows 4-4.

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken through lines 55 of Figure 1 andlooking in the direction of the arrows 55.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the louverstrips are assembled.

Referring to the drawings, the louver assembly 10 comprises a ring likehousing 11 having inwardly turned edges 12, 13. A first plurality oflouver strips 14-17 and a second plurality of louver strips 18-21 areassembled in intersecting relationship to'form a square lattice work,

municating with the upper 23 and lower 24 edges thereof. The inwardlyturned edges 12, 13 of ring like housing 11 partially overlap the endsof louver strips 1-4-21 thereby retaining these strips within ring likehousing 11.

Referring more particularly to Figure 5, resilient clip means 30 ispositioned at the intersection of louver strips 14 and 18 with end 31disposed within recess 32 formed by louver strips 14 and 18 incombination with ring'like housing 11. The bottom edges 24 of louverstrips 14 and 18 rest against one side of clip means 30 while the otherside of clip means 30 abuts turnedover edge 13 of housing 11, therebypreventing clip means 30 from moving vertically with respect to housing11. Horizontal movement of clip means 30 with respect to housing 11 ispreventedby the factthat the ends of louver strips 14 and 18 are spacedapart a distancesubstantially equal to the thicknessof clip means 30.Any attempted movement of clip means 30 to the right with respect toFigure 5 will be prevented since the spacing between louver members 14and 18 decreases toward the intersection 33 thereof, while'leftwardmovement with respect to Figure 5 is prevented by end 31 which abuts thecentral portion 34.013

housing 11. Clip means 35-37 are secured in place in a manner similar toclip means 30.

Color lens 40 comprising a plurality of strips 41-44 retamed by frame 45to prevent breakage due torapid expansion and contractiomisremovably-secured in place by'clipmeans 30, 35, 36, 37.

-Louver assembly is positioned with respect to canopy 50, which formsthe housing, for the light source (not shown) by means of bosses .51which are formed by the outward impingement ofthe central portion 34'ofring like housing .11 at the points where housing 11 forms recesses 32for the retention of clip means 30, 35, 36, 37. It is to be noted thatinthe formation of bosses-51, openings '52 are formedin housing 11..However, bosses 51 are 'soplaced-that'light spill through openings 52is prevented in that light which otherwise might reach openings 52 fromthe light source is blocked by inwardly .turned edge 12 of housing 11 aswell as the ends of theintersecting louver strips which form therecesses wherein .retaining means 30, 35, 36,37 are disposed.

Once positioned on canopy 55, by means of bosses 5.1, louver assembly 10is retained therein by means of depressible buttons or spheres 60-63which are centered with respect to an associated leaf spring 64 andbiased outwardly thereby to partially project through openings 65 in'the central portion 34 of ring like housing 11. The hooked ends 66, 67of each leaf spring 64 are turned substantially "at right angles withrespect to the central portion of spring 64 which'bridges the spacebetween parallel louver strips '15, 16. .Notches 68 are cut 'inithe endsof louver strips 15, 16 to receive leaf spring 64qan'd retain the sameagainst vertical movement. The top 171 of inwardly turned canopy lip 70*abutsbosses 51 while the bottom 72 of inwardly turned lip 70 is engagedby spheres 60-63 which are urged into contact therewith through theaction of leaf springs 64 thereby 'firmly retaining louver assembly 10to canopy 50. 7

Thus, a louver assembly is provided wherein all the parts thereof areinterlocked thereby forming a mechanically stable structure. Theconstruction is such that glare is reduced uniformly over the area ofthe louver assembly without any appreciable reduction in light output.

In the foregoing, this inventionhas been describedonly in connectionwith preferred embodiments thereof. Many variations and modifications ofthe principles of this invention within the scope of thedescription'herein are obvious. Accordingly, it is preferred to be boundno'tby the-specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

I claim:

1. A louver assembly :for the elimination of glare emanating from alightsource, comprising 'a ring like housing and disposed within saidringlikehousing a lattice work comprising at least two groups of planarspaced apart intersecting louver'strips each substantially'parallel tothe axis of the ring like housing, the louver strips of each group beingpositioned substantially parallel to each other, said ring like housinghaving inwardly-turned edges engaging each of said louver strips at bothends thereof thereby providing a mechanically stable unit; a pluralityof clip means-adapted to retain a lens; a first end of each of saidplurality of clip means being'enteredintoindividual recesses formed bysaid ring like housing and the ends of two louver strips, one from afirst of said groups and the other from a second of said groups; asecond end of each of said plurality of clip means .beingadapted .toremovably secure a lens ,tosaid louver assembly.

2. ,A louver assembly for the elimination of glare emanating from alight source, comprising a ring like housing and disposed within saidring like housing a latticework comprising at least two groups of,planar spaced apart intersecting louver strips each substantiallyparallel to the axis ofthe ring'likehousing, the louver strips of.

each group being positioned 'substa'ntiallyparallelto each other, saidr'inglike' housing havinginwardly 'turned'e'dges engaging each of saidlouver strips at both ends thereof thereby providing a mechanicallystable unit; a plurality of clip means adapted to retain a lens; a firstend of each of said plurality of cli means being entered into individualrecesses formed by said ring like housing and the ends of two louverstrips, one from a first of said groups and the other from a. second ofsaid groups; said ring like housing being outwardly impinged at theportions forming said recesses to form bosses which are adapted tolocate said louver assembly'with respectto a' light source housing.

3. A louver assembly for the elimination of glare emanating from a light:source, comprising a ring like housing and disposed within said ringlike housing a lattice work comprising at least two groups of planarspaced apart intersecting louver strips each substantially parallel tothe axis of the ring like housing, the louver strips of each groupbeingpositioned substantially parallel to each other, said ring likehousinghaving inwardly turned edges engaging each of said louver stripsatbothends thereof thereby providing a mechanically .stable unit;retaining means carried bysaid louver assembly and operativelypositioned to engagea light source housingjforremovably retaining saidlouver assembly with respect to said light sourcehousing; said retainingmeans including a plurality of buttons positioned within 'said ring likehousing; biasing means urging .said plurality of buttons 'to partiallyproject through openings in said-ring like housing; said biasing meanscomprising a plurality 'o'flea'f'springs, one for each of said pluralityof buttons; each ofsa'idplurality of-le'af springsbridgin'g the gapbetween the ends of two adjacent louver strips of the same group; eachof said plurality of-button's being centered with respect toitsassociated leaf spring.

4. A louver assembly for the elimination of glare emanating from alightsource, comprising a ring'like housing and disposed within said ringlike housing a'l'at tice work comprising at least two groupsof'planar-spaced apart intersecting louver 'strips each substantiallyparallel to the axis of the ring like'housing, athelouver strips of eachgroup being positioned substantially parallel to each other, said ringlike housing having inwardly turned edges engaging each of said louverstrips at both ends thereof thereby providing a mechanically istable,unit; retaining means carried by said louver assembly and operativelypositioned to engage 'a light source housing for-removably retainingsaid louver assembly withirespect to 'saidlight source housing; saidretaining means including a-p'lurality ofbuttonspositioned-withinsaidring likehousing; biasing means urging :saidplurality of "buttons to partially project through openings in said ringlike'housing; :said biasing means comprising a plurality of leafsprings, one for each 'of'said pluralityof buttons; each of-saidplurality of leaf springs comprising a central portion and ho'oke'dends; said hooked ends "of each of saidpluralityof leaf springs engagingthe ends of two adjacent louverstfips of the same group.

5. A louver assembly for the elimination of glare emanating from 'alight source, comprising a ring like housing and disposed within 'saidring like housing a lattice work comprising at least two groups ofplanar spaced apart intersecting louver strips each substantiallyparallel to the axis of the 'ring'like housing, the louver stripsot eachgroup being positioned substantially parallel to each group; 'aplurality of clip means adapted'to retain 'a lens; a first end of eachof said'plurality of clip means being entered into individual'recessesformed by said ring like housing andthe ends of'twolouverstrips, onefrom a first of said groups and the other-fromasecond of said groups;retaining means carried by said louver assembly and operativelypositioned to engage a light sourcehousing for removably retaining saidlouver assembly "with respect to said light source housing; said ringlike house ing, said louver strips, said plurality of clip means, andsaid retaining means being constructed and positioned I in interlockingrelationship to provide a mechanically stable unit.

6. A louver assembly for the elimination of glare emanating from a lightsource, comprising a ring like housing and disposed within said ringlike housing a lattice work comprising at least two groups of planarspaced apart intersecting louver strips each substantially parallel tothe axis of the ring like housing, the louver strips of each group beingpositioned substantially parallel to each other, said ring like housinghaving inwardly turned edges engaging each of said louver strips at bothends thereof thereby providing a mechanically stable unit; a pluralityof clip means adapted to retain a lens; a first end of each plurality ofclip means being entered into individual recesses formed by said ringlike housing and the ends of two louver strips, one from a first of saidgroups and the other from a second of said groups; a frame and a lensretained thereby; said lens comprising a plurality of strips placed sideby side; said frame being engaged by a second end of each of saidplurality of clip means to thereby be removably secured to said louverassembly; said ring like housing being outwardly impinged at theportions forming said recesses to form bosses which are adapted tolocate said louver assembly with respect to a light source housing;retaining means including a plurality of buttons positioned within saidring like housing; biasing means urging said plurality of buttons topartially project through openings in said ring like housing; saidbiasing means comprising a plurality of leaf springs, one for each ofsaid plurality of buttons; each of said plurality of leaf springbridging the gap between the ends of two adjacent louver strips of thesame group; each of said plurality of buttons being centered withrespect to its associated leaf spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,309,446 Otte July 8, 1919 1,590,310 Nelson June 29, 1926 2,046,184Saaf June 30, 1936 2,430,472 Levy Nov. 11, 1947 2,437,522 Handler Mar.9, 1948 2,510,873 Early June 6, 1950 2,785,291 Bernstein Mar. 12, 19572,833,915 1 Beecher May 6, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 183,274 Great BritainJuly 27, 1922 678,151 France Dec. 23, 1929

